Strengthening Bonds: A Telephone Reminiscence Intervention to Reduce Social Isolation and Improve Mental Health in Rural Older Adults
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 尚未招募
- 入组人数
- 170
- 试验地点
- 1
研究概览
简要总结
The goal of this study is to learn whether a telephone-based program that helps people share life memories can reduce loneliness and improve mental well-being, life satisfaction, and social support in older adults and their caregivers living in rural areas.
This study has two parts. In the first part, researchers will gather feedback from a small group of older adults and informal caregivers to see if the updated telephone reminiscence program works well and is easy to use.
In the second part, researchers will test the telephone reminiscence program in a clinical trial study to see whether the updated telephone reminiscence program reduces loneliness and improves social support, life satisfaction, and mental well-being in older adults and their caregivers. The researchers will also examine how the program impacts how often and for what reason you reminisce.
The main questions this study aims to answer are:
- Does the telephone reminiscence program improve social support, life satisfaction, and mental well-being and reduce loneliness in rural older adults and their caregivers? How does the telephone reminiscence impact how often and for what reason participants reminisce?
- How often and how long do participants use the program?
- How satisfied are older adults and informal caregivers with the program? In this study researchers will compare participants who begin the telephone reminiscence program right away with participants who start the program after a 12-week waiting period to see whether starting the program earlier leads to better outcomes.
Participants will:
- Take part in telephone calls 3 times a week that invite older adults to talk about their life experiences.
- Answer brief survey questions about social support, loneliness, and mental well-being, and life satisfaction over time.
- Include both older adults and their informal caregivers, who may also participate by recording questions in their own voice.
详细描述
This study evaluates a telephone based reminiscence program designed to reduce social isolation and improve mental health among older adults living in rural areas, while also engaging informal caregivers who support them. The study consists of two sequential parts: an initial development and refinement phase, followed by a randomized wait list controlled clinical trial.
Study Overview and Rationale Older adults living in rural areas experience high levels of social isolation and limited access to supportive services due to geographic distance, transportation barriers, and reduced availability of technology based resources. Many older adults in rural communities rely on landline telephones and do not have consistent access to broadband internet, creating barriers to participation in digital health interventions. Telephone based programs that do not require internet access may offer a low burden, scalable approach to supporting mental well being and social connection in these populations.
Reminiscence based interventions encourage individuals to reflect on meaningful life experiences and share personal stories. Prior research suggests that reminiscence can support emotional well being, reinforce identity, and promote a sense of connection. This study builds on previous work evaluating a telephone reminiscence program and extends it by improving accessibility for rural users and formally testing its effectiveness over a longer intervention period.
Part 1: Program Refinement and Feasibility Assessment The first part of the study focuses on refining and enhancing the telephone reminiscence program to improve accessibility, usability, and acceptability for rural older adults and informal caregivers. A total of 16 older adult-caregiver dyads will participate in short term (four week) use of the enhanced program and provide feedback through structured discussions and surveys.
Data collected in this phase inform refinements to the program's functionality, including ease of interaction using landline telephones, clarity of prompts, and caregiver involvement features (such as the ability for caregivers to record questions in their own voice). Findings from Part 1 are used to finalize the version of the program evaluated in the clinical trial phase.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Supportive Care
- 盲法
- Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 60 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Older adults aged 60 years or older living in a rural area and their caregivers aged 18 or older..
- •Able to read and speak English.
- •Living in a rural area as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
- •Has an informal caregiver (family member, partner, friend, or neighbor) willing to participate, or is an informal caregiver of an eligible older adult.
- •Able to participate in telephone-based activities.
排除标准
- •Significant hearing impairment that would interfere with telephone participation.
- •Cognitive impairment as indicated by three or more errors on a brief cognitive screening assessment.
- •Participation in the program development phase of this study.
研究组 & 干预措施
Immediate Telephone Reminiscence Program
Participants assigned to this arm will begin the 12-week telephone-based reminiscence program immediately after baseline assessment. Older adults will receive automated telephone calls up to three times per week that invite them to respond to meaningful questions about their life experiences. Informal caregivers associated with participating older adults may also participate by recording personalized questions in their own voice. Participants will complete outcome assessments at baseline and at follow-up time points during and after the intervention period.
干预措施: Telephone Reminiscence Program (Behavioral)
Wait-List Control (Delayed Telephone Reminiscence Program)
Participants assigned to this arm will not receive the telephone-based reminiscence program during the initial 12-week period following baseline assessment. Participants in this wait-list control arm will complete the same outcome assessments as the immediate intervention group. After the 12-week waiting period, participants will begin the same 12-week telephone reminiscence program.
研究者
Juliette Shellman
Associate Professor
University of Connecticut